Apparatus for making roofing



March 19, 1935. G, LEONARD, JR

APPARATUS FOR MAKING ROOFING Filed May 7, 1932 fwerzfof I (Zrfiwr Gleam/"(2J5 W flaw a Patented Mar. 19, 1935 1,995,032. APPARATUS FOR MAKING ROOFING,

Arthur G. Leonard, Jr.,'Wilmington,,Ill., assignor to Orenda Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application May 7-, 1 932, Serial No. 609,955

11 Claims. (01. 91-59) This invention relates to the manufacture of roofing or the like, and. has been illustrated as embodying apparatus for, and the process of surfacing the'roofing by applying granular slate '5 to a strip of felt freshly coated with asphalt.

Granulated slate, and other such surfacing materials usually have intermixed therewith a material amount of powdery material which sifts through the larger granules and therefore appears on the roofing in an excess quantity along a line which passes directly below the feeding nozzle. In other words,-if the surfacing ma terial is fed into the trough from a single spout to the center thereof the granular material will flow over to the ends of the trough'butthe powdery material will sift straight down, with the result that the roofing surfaced fromthe-ends of the trough. will'be relatively free from 'powder,

whereas the roofing fed from the center of the.

trough underneath the feedingspout. will be supplied with powder in considerable-excess or the normal amount. For this reason it has been necessary in the past to exercise special care in separating powdery materials from the 'granue lated surfacing material and in maintaining this separation The present invention overcomes this dificulty by providing a uniform feed of the surfacing material to far parts of the trough and accomplishes this result through means which are relatively simple and economical in construction and operation, and thoroughly de-. pendable.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawing and claims appended hereto. 7

In the drawing, which illustrates an embodiment of the device, and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts,

Figurel is a perspective view illustrating the principal portions of one form of apparatus embodying this invention; and

Figure 2 is a sectional view of a detail of the construction.

Although my invention may take many forms, only one has been chosen'for illustration. This form has been illustrated as a machine for surfacing or sprinkling sheet 4 which is supplied over a roll 6 which may form a part of the apparatus for coating the sheet4 with asphalt. This sheet 4 with its upper surface freshly coated with asphalt is fed between the feed rolls 8 and 10 which are constantly driven byany suitable means, as a chain 12. Located above the feed roll 8 or at any other suitable point, isa sprin kling' trough 14 illustrated with diagrammatic simplicity; and which may or may not be pro-, vided with special means for uniformly controlling the delivery of a layer of surfacing material to the sheet 4. For the purpose .of'sup'plying the granular material to the sprinkling trough 14' there may be provided a large bin 16 only a fragment of which is shown. This bin may be provided with a pipe l8 for delivering the granular material to any point desired. Although this pipe 18 has been shown a vertical position, this may be varied, it being merely necessary that the pipev 18 be sufiiciently inclined for the granular material to flow therethrough. The pipe 18 conducts the surfacing material into thejhopper 20 which is either of arcuate shapeias shown, or is of such other shape asjwill properly receive the nozzle of the pipe 18 in spite of the arcuate movement of the hopper 20. The nozzle of the pipe 18 is preferably-located slightly below the top of the hopper 20 or close enough thereto so that when the hopper 2,0 is full no further granu lar material will flow from the pipe 18. v The. bottom of the hopper 20 opens into a screw conveyor tube 22 in which is arranged a screw. 24 of any suitable form. The screw 24 is provided with a shaft 26 extending through the rear'of the tube 22 on which shaft is mounted a bevel gear 28 which: is'turned in a manner to facing material falls into the sprinkling trough l4. The fiow of the surfacing material is automatically shut off by its own friction when the surfacing material in the sprinkling trough and under the opfining 30 reaches its maximum capacity, as shown inFigure 2. In theclaims the term ffeedtube unit has been used as including other typesof conveying tubes and two or more tubes which move together as a single unit.

As previously stated the screw 24 is'rotated by the bevel gear 28. This bevel gear is in turn rotated by a larger bevel gear 32 mounted on a shaft 34 in a suitable bracket-3G; The bevel gear 32 is rotated by a third bevel gear 38 mounted on a shaft 40 suitably journaled as at 42 and 44.

The shaft 40 is drivenby a belt'46 and pulley 48 on the shaft 40, or by other suitable friction driving means. The tension of thebelt 46 is such that it will slip either on the belt 48 or on the driving pulley whenever the feeding of the surfacing material is stopped; as shown inFig in either sliding contact with the beam 58 or preferably may be spaced therefrom slightly under normal feeding conditions. .When the feed-; ing is stopped, as shown in Figure 2, the screw 24 exerts a downward pressure on the surfacing material which has an upward reaction onthe feed tube 22, so that the base 64 of the-stirrupbracket 62 may be pressed upwardly against the beam 58. The feed tube 22 is oscillated back and forth on the supportsdescribed by means of a connecting rod 66 'which'iis pivoted atone end by a universal connection to the collar 68 around the feed tube, and at the. other end'toithe crank 70 mounted on the shaftj'72, on which isalso keyed the worm gear '74. The worm gear 74 is driven by worm drive 76 on a shaft .781 whichis turned by the sprocket 80, 'chain'82and.the'sprockct 84 keyedto the shaft 40. 7 e lfdesired'gthere may be provided an adjustable guard 86 to regulate the size of the opening 30 in order that the speed. at. which-the surfacing material is fedmayno-t bemuch inexcess of the speed at -which itis used.

Operation v Thefeeding apparatus is driven through the belt 46 by a separate motor or by a pulley which is driven in conjunction with the chain 12 driv ing the surfacing apparatus. The belt 46 through the pulley 48 rotates the shaft 40. This shaft through the bevel gears 33, 32 and 28 drives the screw 4. The turning of the screw 24 feeds the surfacingmaterial from the hopper 20 through feed tube 22 and into the sprinkling trough 14. The surfacing material maybe fed into the hopper 20'by gravity from the bin 1-6. The shaft 40. also turns the shaft '18 by means of the sprockets 80 and 84-of the chain 82. The shaft '78 through the worm drive I'd-and the worm gear '74 turns the crank'm. Tne'crank'm by means-of'the connecting rod 66 oscillates the feed tube 22 back and forth in its radial 'movement to distribute the surfacing material in-uniformmanner from end to end of the sprinkling trough 14. When the trough has been filled up so that the further feed of the surfacing material-isstopped, as shown in Figure 2, thenthe increased resistance to the turning of the screw 24' causes the belt 46 to slip, with the result that-the entire feeding mechanism stops.-

As soon as the surfacing material in the sprinkling trough 14.- 'has been used up suficiently topermit the further feeding of the surfacing material, the feeding apparatus starts up again. The feeding movement of the screw 24 and the oscillating movement of the feed tube 22 start simultaneous- 1y so that once the materialleaves thefeed tube 22 it has substantially no lateral movement in the sprinklng trough 14. In other words, the surfacing material drops straight down 7 from the point at which it leaves the feed tube 22 to the point at which it falls on the roofing sheet.

Since the entire surfacing material 'falls straightdown there 'is'no chance for an uneven distribution of the finer particles such 'as'powamount of powder will have no injurious effect Whatever, and it is therefore possible to discontinue the expensive and troublesome methods of maintaining the surfacing material absolutely free fromsuch powdery material. i 7 a It is to be under'stoodthat many other. embodiments of the invention, including some in improved form, Will be apparent, and in the courseof time more will be devised by those skilled in the art: It is not desired that this invention be limited .to.the detailsdescribed, for its scope includes all such forms" or improvements as come within the spirit of the following claims, construed as broadly asthe prior art will permit.

What is claimed is: l. The art of surfacing roofing with a uniformly colored mixture of full size surfacing granules andiine-sgwhich includes feeding the said mixture in a single narrow stream into a long sprinkling trough extending across the zone being sprinkled, shifting saidstream "back and forth along substantially the entirelength of the trough and feeding the mixture by said stream at such speed as to cause it to pileup in said trough and keep pil'edup throughoutthe length of the trough; permitting saidimixtureto drop uniformly from all the length ofsaid trough; and drawing the roofing. underxsaid trough whereby it is surfaced with'substantial uniformity. 5

2; Surfacing apparatus foriroofing compris ing a sprinklingtrough arranged to sprinkle granular surfacing material along an extended line andat a restrained rate of flow; and:feeding. means for said trough including alaterally extending feed tube mounted for. arcuate rotation about a given point-and provided with an outlet remote from sa'id'point and :an inlet adjacent to said point, means. for 'oscillating the outlet portion of said feed tube'backand'forth'along sai'd trough, and means.supplyingsurfacing material to said inlet andthrough said feed tube to said trough faster tharrtlie rate of flowfrom said trough until said material is piled upiin saidtrough entirely across its length and thereafter fast enough to keep said material; so piled. up; said feed tube' being driven by avfrictionidevice. which is adjusted to slip when the. surfacing material is backed up against said feedtube; and said outlet being located within the angle of repose of said material in said trough.

3..Surfacing apparatus for roofingc'omprising a sprinkling trough arranged to 'sprinkle' granular surfacing. material. along an extended line and at. arestrained rate'of 'flow; and feeding means for said trough; including. a laterally extending feed tube mounted for arcuate rotation about a given point and-provided with'an outlet remote fromsaid pointand an inlet adjacent to said point; meanszfor: oscillating the outlet portion of said'fee'd'tube back andforthalong said trough, and means supplying 'surfacing'material to said inlet and through said feed tube to saidtrough faster than :the rate o f fiow from said trough until said material is piled up in said trough entirely across its length and thereafter fast enough to keep said material sopiled up. 7

4. Surfacing apparatus for roofing comprising asprinkling .troug-harranged' to sprinkle granular surfacing: material along an extended line and at a restrained-rate' of 410w; and feeding means for saidtrough including a feed tube mounted for arcuate rotation about-a given point and provided with an outlet remote from said point and an faster than the rate of flow from said trough until said material is piled up'in said trough entirely across its length and thereafter fast enough to keep said material so piled up. i

5. Surfacing apparatus for roofing comprising a sprinkling trough arranged to sprinkle granular surfacing material along an extended line and at a restrained rate of flow, and feeding means for said trough including a single feed tube unit mounted for arcuate rotation about a given point and provided with an inlet adjacent to said point and an outlet remote from said point and at such position in or slightly above said trough that said granular material cannot overflow said trough from said outlet, means oscillating as a unit the outlet portion of said feed tube unit back and forth along said trough, and means supplying at a restrained rate of flow; and feeding means.

for said trough including a sole single feed tube unit mounted for arcuate rotation about a given point and provided with an outlet remote from said point and an inlet adjacent to said point, means oscillating as a unit the outlet portion of said feed tube back and forth along said trough, and means supplying surfacing material to said inlet and through said feed tube unit to said trough faster than the rate of flow from said trough until said material is piled up in said trough entirely across its length and thereafter just at the speed it is used.

7. Surfacing apparatus for roofing comprising a sprinkling trough arranged to sprinkle granular surfacing material along an extended line and at a restrained rate of flow; feeding means supplying surfacing material to said trough faster than the rate of flow from said trough until said material is piled up in said trough entirely across its length and thereafter just fast enough to keep said material so piled up; said feeding means comprising a screw conveyor provided with an inlet and an outlet spaced therefrom, and mounted for movement of its outlet portion along said sprinkling trough; oscillating means for oscillating said outlet portion back and forth along substantially,the entire length of said trough; means for operating said screw conveyor substantially in proportion to the movement of said oscillating means; and means for feeding surfacing material to the inlet of said screw conveyor.

3. Surfacing apparatus for roofing comprising a sprinkling trough arranged to sprinkle granular surfacing material along an extended'line and at a restrained rate of flow; feeding means supplying surfacing material to said trough faster than the rate of flow from said trough until said material is piled up in said trough entirely across its length and thereafter just fast enough to keep Said material so piled up; said feeding means comprising a conveyor provided with an outlet and mounted for movement of itsoutlet portion along said trough, said conveyor having an operating part and feeding surfacing material in proportion to the operation of said operating part; and driving means for oscillating said outlet portion back and forth along substantially the entire length of said trough and for simultaneously and substantially proportionately operating said operating part of the conveyor to cause -,the feeding of surfacing material to said trough substantially in proportion to the movement of said outlet portion.

9. Surfacing apparatus for roofing comprising a sprinkling trough arranged to sprinkle granular surfacing material along an extended line and at a restrained rate of flow; feeding means supplying surfacing material to said trough faster than the rate of flow from said trough untilsaid I let portion back and forth along substantially the entire length of said trough and for simultaneously and substantially proportionatelyoperating said operating part of the conveyor to cause the feeding of surfacing material to said trough substantially in proportion to the movement of said outlet portion; said driving means including a slippage device which is adjusted to slip when the feeding means is obstructed by surfacing material piled up in said trough, and said outlet being located within the angle of repose of said material in said trough. Y

10. Surfacing apparatus for roofing comprising a sprinkling trough arranged to sprinkle granular surfacing material along an extendedline and at a restrained rate of flow; feeding means supplying surfacing material to said trough faster than the rate of flow from said trough until said material is piled up in said trough entirely across its length and thereafter just fast enough to keep said material so piled up; said feeding means comprising a conveyor provided with an outlet and mounted for movement of its outlet portion along said trough, said conveyor having an operating part and feeding surfacing material in proportion to the operation of said operating part; and driving means for oscillating said outlet portion back and forth along substantially the entire length of said trough and for simultaneouslyand substantially proportionately operating said operating part of the conveyor to cause the. feeding of surfacing material to said trough forth along substantially the entire length of the trough and feeding the mixture by said feeding zone at such speed as to cause it to pile up in said trough and keep piled up throughout the length of the trough; permitting said mixture to drop uniformly from all the length of said trough, and drawing the roofing under said trough whereby it is surfaced with substantial uniformity.

ARTHUR G. LEONARD, JR. 

